JOAQUIM MASSANA

Joaquim is the soul and master of the great Familia Torres whites. Given his personal history, this almost seems inevitable: a man from a long line of winegrowers, destined to become an enologist. His most cherished memories are inextricably linked to the sweet taste of grapes and how the sounds echoed through the winery—memories that remain vivid to this day.


“I remember my first harvest day, I was 8 years old, and I was there with my family and all the other grape pickers. I remember arriving at the vineyard and experiencing that magical, unforgettable moment.”


The way our minds relive memories can be whimsical, memories that evoke a childhood where sounds and aromas make up a world as intimate as it is alive: “...I remember the sounds in our family winery. The squeal of the pump as it moved the wine from one press to another is one of the most characteristic sounds, one that reminds me the most of my childhood.”

The aromas. It's always the aromas. Our sense of smell draws connections, stirs something within us. About who we are and who we were. A sensory connection to our own history. “The memory of aromas is one of the most incredible aspects of childhood. One of the most distinctive smells in the vineyard was right when it began to rain. That characteristic aroma of damp earth will stay with me forever.” Memories fragrant with fruit intensity, etched into the soul and the walls of the winery after the musts have fermented.


“I still remember the smell of freshly pressed must in the winery, it is such a distinctive and rich aroma.”


Even though Joaquim's destiny of a life amid vines seemed set since early childhood, he recalls the precise moment that decided his future as an enologist: “The moment my father let me try my first wine. It was a white, just out of the barrel, with an extraordinary color and a very special flavor. It was a mesmerizing moment, and I knew that the land and wine would define my future.”


Land and wine. A whole world expressed in just two words. Joaquim knows the land down to the smallest detail, and he sums up his vinicultural vision as follows:

“When you talk about wine, you start by talking about terroir. The term terroir covers four basic concepts: climate, soil, geographical area, and winemaking. Taken together, these concepts are crucial to achieving our goal. During the winemaking process, we try to transmit all of the vineyard's information through the wine in order to make people happy. We try to achieve this goal by working with quality grapes and applying our knowledge.”

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Joaquim at the Waltraud winery (Pacs del Penedès) where Familia Torres ages its iconic wines

“Tradition and technique come together to reach a desirable outcome. Our goal is to make a wine with an identity of its own that will be exciting to whoever drinks it.”


And he achieves this goal, bringing the Penedès appellation of origin and Familia Torres to the world. He is well aware that “an appellation of origin is a reference to territory, distinction and quality. In these globalized times, the fact of making products in a specific area is a clear way of differentiating yourself.”


For Joaquim, his work is a way of life. It couldn't be any other way, given that his constant involvement in every aspect of vineyard and winery work demands his full attention. “The day-to-day work in our profession is very exciting. After the harvest, we spend the year carefully watching over, monitoring and checking on how the different wines are evolving. Creativity and imagination are very important to this kind of work if you want to obtain the best end result, which in our case would be the best wine of every vintage.”



We seized the opportunity to ask Joaquim what the harvest is like for him...

“Frankly, the harvest is a really exciting time, very emotional, because it is the culmination of all the work we've done throughout the year. We have to make decisions constantly, and we draw on our experience and expertise to achieve a good outcome, working with the best grapes from our vineyards to make the best possible wine.”


We're always curious about what winemakers like to drink. Joaquim's take on this is clear:


“First of all, I ask that a wine be well made and free of faults. Secondly, I ask that it respect the characteristics of the area, variety and type of wine. And finally, it should have its own personality and express some kind of distinctive trait that makes it different and unique. An exciting wine.”

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Quim Massana during one of his regular visits to check on the vineyards in Penedès (Familia Torres)

Excitement is part and parcel of the day-to-day experience of an enologist who is aware of his connection to the land and whose wines convey the passion passed down by his ancestors to delight wine lovers everywhere.